1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a fiber optic cable and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for facilitating the locating of a buried fiber optic cable.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical fibers are used for a variety of applications including voice communication, data transmission and the like. With the ever-increasing need for connecting remote locations to a fiber optic distribution cable, more efficient methods of performing a mid-span access of a distribution cable are required. Typically, to facilitate performing a mid-span access in the field, hand holes are dug and a horizontal bore is made connecting the hand holes. Optionally, a conduit may be placed in the bore. The cable is passed through the bore or conduit and slack lengths of cable are provided in the hand holes. A field technician removes a portion of the cable sheath at a slack location along the installed distribution cable. Once the sheath is removed, the technician accesses pre-selected optical fibers, severs the pre-selected optical fibers and removes a length of the optical fibers from the distribution cable. The removed length of distribution optical fiber provides the field technician with adequate length for splicing. A cable that includes a lesser amount of fibers than the distribution cable, commonly termed a “drop cable,” is spliced to the optical fibers removed from the distribution cable. After all splicing is complete, the access location is oftentimes covered using an enclosure designed to protect the splices and the exposed section of the distribution cable. This time consuming process is typically accomplished by a highly skilled field technician at a significant cost.
Several approaches have been developed to overcome the disadvantages of accessing optical fibers in the field. In one approach, the splicing of drop cables to the distribution cable is performed at a factory during the manufacturing of the cable. The cable, including the main cable, drop cables and associated splice closures, are assembled and wound onto a cable reel to be delivered to an installation site. Although the need for slack storage in the field is decreased, hand holes are still beneficial to the construction of a network. However, the conventional method of laying cable using slack storage in hand holes can be improved as explained below.
It would be desirable to facilitate locating a cable in the field having factory fabricated splices and splice enclosures, and then putting the factory fabricated splices in a hand hole. Also, as detailed below, there are other benefits to facilitating the locating of a buried cable.